1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of telephone communications and, more particularly, to interactive voice response applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of interactive voice response (IVR) applications for use in telephone systems has reduced operating costs for many types of businesses by reducing telephone related staffing requirements. Such IVR applications typically answer incoming telephone calls and present to callers audible menus of selectable options which are available to the callers. The callers usually make menu selections in one of two ways: depressing a key or sequence of keys on a touch tone keypad; or issuing a spoken utterance.
Often times a plurality of hierarchically related menu layers are presented which a caller must navigate while searching for a desired IVR option. Navigating through such menus can be time consuming and frustrating, especially when the caller makes an incorrect selection during the navigation process. Consequently, callers often hang up prior to successfully navigating the menus or opt out of the menu system in an attempt to speak with an operator. Particularly concerning are the cases in which potential customers or clients hang up in frustration.